Understanding pain is an important part of pain management. There are two different types of pain in pets - acute pain and chronic pain.

Acute pain comes on suddenly as a result of an injury, surgery, inflammation or infection. It can be extremely uncomfortable for your pet and it may limit her mobility. The good news is that it's usually temporary and goes away when the condition that causes it is treated.

Chronic pain is by definition pain that lasts longer than two weeks. It can result from acute pain that goes untreated or it can develop more slowly. Animals that suffer from chronic pain often have subtle clinical signs that collectively make them appear older than they really are. And the longer the pain goes on, the harder it is to control so we always want to treat this pain early.

Signs that your pet might be in pain include:

Depression and/or inactivity

Rising slowly or "collapsing" to lie down

Walking with a stiff gait, especially after getting up

Standing or sitting in unusual positions

Trembling

Inappropriate elimination

Whining, whimpering, howling, or constantly meowing

Constantly licking or chewing at a particular part of the body

Acting aggresively

We know that recognizing and alleviating pain in animals is the essence of good patient care. We offer a variety of pain management including a therapy laser and medical modalities at Town and Country Animal Clinic.